An apparatus and method for separating plant flowers from stalks by means of a lateral rotating tube having a plurality of flexible, elongated members affixed to and extending radially outward from the tube. The apparatus may include a platform and a frame supporting the tube above the platform to accommodate plants held between the platform and the tube so that when the tube is rotating, the elongated members affixed thereto brush against the plants and cause the flowers to brush off at and separate from the stalks. The frame further supports a housing to form a contained space, with a hood to direct the flow of flowers after separation from the stalks. The back wall is positioned a distance away from the platform to allow separated flower and stalk to be eliminated from the apparatus.

A flail assembly for a straw chopper shaft including: a bolt element passing through the mounting hole of the bracket, an anti-rotation element supporting the bolt element on the bracket against rotation, a first flail having a bore and being seated on the bolt element with said bore, a first fastening element connected to a first free end portion of the bolt element, and a first washer having a bore with which the first washer is seated on the bolt element. The first washer is between the first fastening element and the first flail, and is radially slotted. The bolt element is axially braced with the first fastening element relative to the longitudinal axis of the bolt element and a smallest cylindrical envelope of the first fastening element coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the bolt element has a smaller radius than the bore of the first flail.

An apparatus and method for separating plant flowers from stalks by means of a lateral rotating tube having a plurality of flexible, elongated members affixed to and extending radially outward from the tube. The apparatus may include a platform and a frame supporting the tube above the platform to accommodate plants held between the platform and the tube so that when the tube is rotating, the elongated members affixed thereto brush against the plants and cause the flowers to brush off at and separate from the stalks. The frame further supports a housing to form a contained space, including a back wall, side walls and a hood to direct the flow of flowers after separation from the stalks. The back wall is positioned a distance away from the platform to allow separated flower and stalk to be eliminated from the apparatus. The hood extends above and over the tube, having a front wall extending about or below a central axis of the tube. A power system provides rotational power to the tube.

A threshing and separating system for an agricultural harvester includes a rotor configured to rotate about a rotor axis, a rotor cage at least partially enclosing the rotor and including a tailings return inlet formed therein and configured to couple to a tailings return elevator and an insert opening formed therein that is at least partially circumferentially aligned with the tailings return inlet relative to the rotor axis, at least one concave coupled to the rotor cage and defining a plurality of concave perforations, and a threshing insert removably coupled to the rotor cage and including at least one mounting opening. The threshing insert at least partially covers the insert opening and is positioned such that material from the tailings return inlet travels past the threshing insert before reaching the concave.

An apparatus and method for separating plant flowers from stalks by means of a lateral rotating tube having a plurality of flexible, elongated members affixed to and extending radially outward from the tube. The apparatus may include a platform and a frame supporting the tube above the platform to accommodate plants held between the platform and the tube so that when the tube is rotating, the elongated members affixed thereto brush against the plants and cause the flowers to brush off at and separate from the stalks. The frame further supports a housing to form a contained space, including a back wall, side walls and a hood to direct the flow of flowers after separation from the stalks. The hood extends above and over the tube, having a front wall extending about or below a central axis of the tube. A power system provides rotational power to the tube.

A material processing system having a barrel also referred to hereinafter having a milling or impact surface and a central axis. The impact surface is impervious, in that material cannot pass through the surface, but rather is contained by the surface. An impact mechanism is located within barrel and is rotates about the central axis. The system has inlet openings and formed in the barrel at axially spaced locations along the axis. At least one outlet opening is formed in the barrel at a location intermediate of the inlets. The impact mechanism includes a plurality of hammers mounted on shaft which rotates about the axis.

A flail assembly for a straw chopper shaft including: a bolt element passing through the mounting hole of the bracket, an anti-rotation element supporting the bolt element on the bracket against rotation, a first flail having a bore and being seated on the bolt element with said bore, a first fastening element connected to a first free end portion of the bolt element, and a first washer having a bore with which the first washer is seated on the bolt element. The first washer is between the first fastening element and the first flail, and is radially slotted. The bolt element is axially braced with the first fastening element relative to the longitudinal axis of the bolt element and a smallest cylindrical envelope of the first fastening element coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the bolt element has a smaller radius than the bore of the first flail.

A threshing and separating system for an agricultural harvester includes a rotor configured to rotate about a rotor axis, a rotor cage at least partially enclosing the rotor and including a tailings return inlet formed therein and configured to couple to a tailings return elevator and an insert opening formed therein that is at least partially circumferentially aligned with the tailings return inlet relative to the rotor axis, at least one concave coupled to the rotor cage and defining a plurality of concave perforations, and a threshing insert removably coupled to the rotor cage and including at least one mounting opening. The threshing insert at least partially covers the insert opening and is positioned such that material from the tailings return inlet travels past the threshing insert before reaching the concave.

An agricultural vehicle, in the form of a combine harvester, includes a threshing and separating system and a cleaning system positioned beneath the threshing and separating system for receiving grain processed by the threshing and separating system. The cleaning system includes a first fan and sieves positioned downstream of a discharge outlet of the first fan. The sieves are positioned such that a stream of air produced by the first fan passes over the sieves. The vehicle also includes a housing having a hollow interior space that is positioned at least partially downstream of the first fan such that the stream of air passes into the hollow interior space. A second fan has a suction side that is in fluid communication with the interior space and a discharge side that exhausts to atmosphere for aspirating the interior space to reduce an air pressure within the interior space.